Map: Here's which US states may be able to see the northern lights

NEW YORK —

North America's night sky beams once more as the aurora borealis may be viewable in at least 10 states, including Alaska, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center .

The Aurora Borealis, also known as the northern lights, occurs when electrically charged particles from the sun collide with the Earth's atmosphere. This is most visible between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

NOAA's aurora viewline represents the southernmost locations from which the lights could be seen in the northern horizon. A rough approximation of the states includes the following:

Washington

Idaho

Montana

North Dakota

South Dakota

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Michigan

Maine

Alaska

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According to NOAA, the aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as far as 621 mile